New Faculty 2014-2015

Dr. Ann Ewbank, Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction & Director of Library Media Program

The college welcomed Ann Ewbank to the Department of Education as an assistant professor in curriculum and instruction and director of the library media program. Ewbank moved to Bozeman from Arizona where she received a bachelor’s in social studies secondary education from Northern Arizona University, a master’s in library science from The University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. from Arizona State University (ASU) in curriculum and instruction with a focus on library media. After completing her doctorate at ASU in 2005, she worked as an academic librarian and as the assistant division director of graduate studies in the College of Education, where she was responsible for over 600 students in 14 academic programs. In this capacity she directed the operational management of the programs, including class scheduling, staffing, budget, and student issues.

At MSU, Ewbank teaches the online library media courses, mentoring new teachers in curriculum and instruction, and collaborates with assistant professor Nick Lux in teaching instructional technology to pre-service education students.

“I feel that library science and instructional technology go hand-in-hand,” said Ewbank. “Librarians need to be up on all aspects of technology.”

Her background as a social studies teacher and librarian in middle school and high school for ten years brings practical classroom experience to her new position as a tenure-track professor. 

Ewbank has several research interests and will explore how stakeholders such as parents and teachers can become advocates for strong school library programs. Another interest is how social media plays a role in promoting school libraries. 

Dr. Gilbert Kalonde, Assistant Professor of Technology Education

In 1994, Gilbert Kalonde came to the United States from Zambia on a cultural exchange program sponsored by the Los Angeles Lusaka Sister City Committee of Los Angeles to teach culture. He ended up living in California until 2008, where he worked as human resources director for an international freight company at the Los Angeles International Airport. Kalonde attended California State University, Los Angeles, but eventually took classes online so he could continue working and graduated from Excelsior College of New York with a bachelor’s degree. Both his master’s degree in workforce education and development, as well as his doctorate in instructional design and technology were awarded from Southern Illinois University.

After completing his doctorate, he began looking for a program where he could advance academically and scholarly and found that Montana State University was a “100% perfect fit.” At MSU, Kalonde teaches “Methods of Agricultural and Technology Education” and “Curriculum and Facilities Planning.” His research agenda focuses on technology integration in teacher education, technologies for inclusive education, and technology use in K-12 classrooms. 

Dr. Tricia Seifert, Assistant Professor of Adult and Higher Education

After teaching for five years at the University of Toronto, Tricia Seifert joined the Department of Education as an assistant professor in the adult and higher education program. Seifert brings an impressive research agenda to MSU, with a focus on student services. She is the co-author of a forthcoming book, “How College Affects Students, Volume 3” and is also the recipient of a $270,000 grant, studying how colleges organize services to support student success and how faculty and staff see their role in supporting student success. Seifert presented a paper at a conference in Australia on the issues and challenges facing student affairs and services staff from Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

Even though Seifert is originally from Toledo, Ohio, she spent many years in the mountain west. She worked at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for five summers and eventually moved west to work at a boarding school for children with disabilities.

“My interest in student services began while I was at the boarding school,” said Seifert. “I realized that I really wanted to do this work in a postsecondary setting and make a career of it.”

Seifert's academic career began with a bachelor’s in sociology and political sciences from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Ill. She received a master’s in student services administration from Oregon State University and a doctorate from the University of Iowa in student affairs administration and research.

Seifert is very happy to be back in the mountains.

“When I interviewed at MSU, I felt like I’d been in Bozeman for a long time,” Seifert said. “I felt a connection with the faculty and students…there’s something kinetic about what is going on in the college.”

Dr. Mitch Vaterlaus, Assistant Professor of Family and Consumer Sciences

After spending a year as director of an online child advocacy program at the University of Nebraska, Kearney, Mitch Vaterlaus returned to the West where he grew up and joined the Department of Health and Human Development as an assistant professor in family and consumer sciences. Originally from Boise, Idaho, Vaterlaus received all of his degrees from Utah State University, with a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in family, consumer and human development with a focus on marriage and family therapy, and a Ph.D. in family and human development. He is also a licensed marriage and family therapist, working for the past six years in Utah, Nebraska, and now in Bozeman as a part time therapist for LDS Family Services.

“I recognized that prevention through formal and community education could be a positive tool to promote healthy relationships. Teaching healthy relationship skills to students and community members is a way to help couples and individuals with their relationships before they need intervention services,” said Vaterlaus of his reasons for pursuing an academic career. 

His research follows two tracks: adolescent psycho-social development and what influences tech-nology has on relationships; and how to provide family life education to underserved populations through community outreach. Being at a land grant university appealed to him because of research and extension opportunities.

He teaches several classes, including “Relationships and Family Sys¬tems,” “Family Law and Public Policy,” and “Race, Class, Gender and Family Diversity.”

Dr. Robert Wilson, NTT Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance

Rob Wilson joined the Department of Health and Human Development in the fall of 2014 as a non-tenure track assistant professor in health and human performance. Wilson teaches both undergraduate and graduate classes and is the internship coordinator for the program. He places student interns in positions on campus, in the Bozeman area, and sometimes in a student’s hometown. Sites for intern placement include: fitness centers, emergency rooms, chiropractic offices, physical therapy practices, and athletics.

After earning several degrees from Marquette University in broadcasting and electronic communication, philosophy and history teaching, as well his teaching license. Wilson taught for seven years in the Chicago area and in New Zealand. He later returned to Wisconsin and earned a master’s focused on sport exercise psychology and exercise physiology and a doctorate in health sciences with a focus on exercise and sport physiology, from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. 

Wilson has coached soccer for 20 years and conducts research aimed at developing a better understanding of the physiological load placed on individuals when they train and compete in recreational and competitive sporting events. He lead a student group research class at MSU where students investigated the effects of cold weather training on respiratory function and the consequences of cycling off pre-workout supplements.